Overheard in the public restroom at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios:

“Don’t wipe that paint off your face,” says the mom, which is followed by groans and general whining from the child, who ignores his mother and proceeds to wipe his face, anyway. The mom raises her voice. “Do you hear me? I paid $12 to have your face painted. If you wipe it off, you’ll never get your face painted again. Ever.” She’s on the verge of pleading now. But the child hates the paint and wants it off. “OK,” the mom concedes, sounding defeated. “Just please let me take a picture of you first.” And then, she attempts to produce a Kodak moment, with the paper towel dispenser as the backdrop.

I kept my smile under wraps, but I thought the whole scene was quite funny. Of course, it’s easy for me to toss out observations while standing outside the situation. The child thought he wanted his entire face painted like a pirate, but then, he realized he hated it. The paint felt weird. The mom, on the other hand, was trying to make memories. “We’re on a family vacation. We’re going to smile and have a good time, darn it. OK, now. Ready? Say, ‘Cheese.’”

I didn’t judge. I empathized. Take a look at my family and me in front of Cinderella’s castle. This photo is the best of the worst. I spent two days trying capture – on a digital screen – the magical world of Disney. And my kids kept bringing me back to real life. One smiled and the other cried. One looked at the camera and the other turned his head. One grinned through clenched teeth while appearing ready to smack someone. (That was me.)

Sure, I’m making fun of parents like me, but I don’t fault any of us for what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to create happy experiences for our children and document the evidence. We’re trying to live in the moment while simultaneously developing the family archives. Does anyone else think it’s really, really hard to spend time with your kids and snap photos at the same time?

So what are the options? Witness life through the eyes of a viewfinder? Ditch the camera and relax? Hire a professional photographer to tag along and make us look fabulous in Photoshop? That last option would wreck the vacation budget, but it sounds fantastic, don’t you think?

I know I won’t stop trying to freeze special moments in time, and that’s why the interaction in the bathroom between the mom and the child made me smile. Maybe one day, she’ll look at the photo of her disgruntled pirate, grimacing next to the paper towel holder and have a good laugh. Perhaps that photo, taken in the midst of ultimatums and desperation, will trigger many other snapshots. The ones she holds in her mind.

And perhaps she’ll realize the imperfection and honesty of the moment was worth the 12 bucks. And more. *

Angie Mizzell does most of her writing with two small children swinging from her limbs. Her personal essays have been published in several print and online publications. Contact her at angiemizzell.com.